


Remembrance

by nickyz



Series: A Story That Begins In Light [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Autumn, Developing Relationship, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Post-Canon Fix-It, Secret Crush, Unrequited Love, atem and yuugi aren't dating yet but both have a crush on the other, atem has sensory overload, marik has DID and yami marik is an alter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:09:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27107740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickyz/pseuds/nickyz
Summary: while adjusting to life among the living, atem runs into some old friends, then receives a confession he knew had been coming for a long time
Relationships: Atem/Mutou Yuugi, Mazaki Anzu | Tea Gardner/Yami Yuugi (one-sided), Mutou Yuugi/Yami Yuugi
Series: A Story That Begins In Light [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1964425
Comments: 7
Kudos: 50





	Remembrance

“Thank you for stopping by, please come again.”

Crisp autumn air swept through the door as the customer left with a polite smile and a wave, which Atem returned out of obligation, sliding the register shut. The chill reached him, but didn’t settle into his bones, fended off by his new soft red cardigan that was one size too big on him. 

Yuugi’s mother had handed it to him as soon as leaves began to fall from the trees and litter the sidewalks, claiming that she wouldn’t have him catching a cold on her watch. He was, at first, confused as to  _ how  _ he would get sick, considering he eventually got up to date on all available vaccinations. So Yuugi had to explain that they didn’t protect him from every sickness ever, only the bad ones that might potentially kill you.

The modern world was very pleasant, so far.

Leaning on the game shop counter as he sat on the old wooden stool hidden behind it, he rested his chin on his hand. He watched the breeze blow colorful leaves by the door, and he was honestly still surprised by just how beautiful this season was. Summer was mostly familiar, the sweltering temperatures and beach trips where he got to feel sand beneath his feet, but fall? It was… entirely new. He felt a little childish, to be so caught up in wonder over something so silly, but he couldn’t help himself.

Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, he resigned himself to go outside and sweep away the freshly scattered leaves. Sugoroku liked to keep the sidewalk in front of the shop clean, some nonsense about it making the shop seem more inviting if it was maintained so thoroughly at all times. 

Oh, right- his glasses. As fate would have it, he apparently had awful eyesight. Only after weeks of head-splitting aches and pains caused by squinting at television screens, books, and Duel Monsters cards did one of them finally realize what was up. Surprisingly, it was  _ Jonouchi  _ that noticed first. He must have seen similar behaviors in his sister at some point in his life, because his diagnosis was correct, Atem did  _ not _ have 20/20 vision. 

Thanks to some... not  _ entirely _ legal documents gifted to him by Kaiba not long after his decision to stay among the living, he got his glasses covered under the Mutou’s family insurance- he wasn’t sure what relation he had to the Mutou’s in the eyes of the law, but it didn’t really matter, did it? He knew what he was, and so did everyone that  _ really _ mattered.

“Earth to Atem!” 

Atem bolted upright so fast that the stool wobbled to one side, and he had to grip the edge of the counter to stop himself from toppling over. Red eyes wide, they focused on a pair of dark-skinned hands waving in front of his face insistently, adorned in gold jewelry. “I’m terribly sorry-” He stood up from the stool, smoothing his cardigan and putting on his best customer service smile. “Welcome to Kame Game, what can I…” He paused. Stared. The smile dropped.

“Hiii,” A very familiar face cheekily grinned at him, golden wrist bangles clacking softly as they waved.

“ _ Marik-kun? _ ” Atem gasped. “What are you doing here…?” He knew he shouldn’t be on edge, he and the Ishtars had long since made up despite their youngest brother’s violence- they’d taken him to his tomb and opened the  _ afterlife _ for him! He should be on his knees at their feet. 

“Don’t forget the rest of the family,” Marik sidestepped and presented his sister and adoptive brother, sporting more casual clothes instead of their traditional attire. Ishizu smiled, her hands cupped together in front of her. She had a new jewel necklace in place of where her Millennium Necklace once rested, and Atem could relate to her immensely- he wore his cartouche to feel something around his neck. Rishid nodded in greeting, his arms crossed and overall posture looking imposing. Years of serving as a bodyguard had made that permanent. Atem, at a total loss, nodded back.  
  
“How’s life been treating you? Nice specs.” Marik leaned forward and flicked the frame of his glasses, making them go crooked.

Sputtering, Atem put them back in place. “G-Good,” he stuttered, overtaken by Marik’s intensity. He’d been so shy the last time they talked due to his guilt, what had changed in the few months they were out of contact? “You seem very... confident.” 

Marik straightened up, placing his hands on his hips. “ _ Oh _ , right. I forgot to introduce myself.” He held out a hand, clearly intending to shake Atem’s, which Atem was not a fan of. He hated skin-to-skin contact with people that weren’t Yuugi. “I’m  _ Malik _ . Sorry for almost killing you, and the  _ other _ you, that one time.” 

Atem took a step back, but it looked like none of them were surprised by the response. Rishid’s muscles tensed, and Ishizu looked a bit sadder. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard… they thought he might  _ reject _ Malik. Expected it, even. “So you’re… the  _ other _ ...?” 

“I have a  _ name _ now, I just told you it.” 

“Ah… uh, right. Sorry,  _ Malik _ -kun.” He finally put out his hand and returned the handshake, making Malik start grinning again. “Allow me to rephrase, then. You seem  _ calmer _ .” 

“Therapy’s a hell of a drug,” he said casually, leaning an elbow on the counter and examining  _ painted _ nails, switching between black and dark purple on each finger. Was it sparkly as well…? “Marik was too nervous to talk to you himself, ‘cuz you’re a Pharaoh and all.”

Atem frowned at that. “Certainly not anymore. I’m just like the rest of you.” Deciding he shouldn’t be behind the counter for a conversation like this, he stepped around it to face them all directly. Ishizu seemed to try to bow, perhaps because of the family traditions burned deep into her bones, but caught herself mid-motion. Atem gave a good-natured smile as she blushed, looking away and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “What brings you all here?” He left it unspoken that he meant both the shop  _ and _ the country itself.  
_  
_ __ Malik reached into one of the many pockets on his baggy pants, fancily brandishing… seven tickets, if Atem counted them correctly. “Ishizu’s hosting an exhibit at the museum.”

“Oh, that makes sense. I assume it is about Egypt?” 

“Not only that…” Malik flung the tiny papers onto the counter, then spun around and dropped to one knee on Ishizu’s side, holding out both of his hands in a  _ ta-da _ sort of way. “Take it away, ‘sis!” 

Ishizu tipped her head to the side, smiling. “It is an exhibit focusing on the life of the Nameless Pharaoh.” 

Atem’s whole world shifted sideways, like he’d been just at the cusp of victory in a duel, and his enemy revealed a trap card that would turn the tides of the battle against him. Drowning in waves of a feeling he couldn’t identify, he backed up into the counter, flinging his hands out to steady himself. His silver jewelry smacked together loudly, and the rings on his fingers scratched against the glass. “On… on  _ me _ ?” 

Ishizu padded towards him slowly, placing an elegant hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Atem’s heart dropped.  _ She looks so much like Isis.  _ “Please let me know if this does not please you… I should have asked you first. I deeply apologize.” She dipped her head in lieu of a bow, not missing the way his eyes filled with recognition and nostalgia at seeing her so closely. Atem shook his head, still in a daze, but not wanting her to feel at fault.

“No… No, you just. Caught me off guard.” Atem took a deep breath, pinching his eyes between his fingers. “I’m honored.” 

“You look like you are going to throw up.” Rishid deadpanned.

Atem inhaled shakily. “Maybe so, but as I said,” Atem grabbed Ishizu’s hand and took it in both of his own. Ishizu covered her mouth and her eyes flicked back and forth rapidly, like she was asking one of her brothers for help. Malik just turned around and threw his arms behind his head. Then, Atem was sliding down to his knees on the tile floor.

“My Pharaoh,  _ please _ -”

“I am  _ not _ your Pharaoh anymore. I am your  _ friend _ .” Atem said forcefully. “ _ Thank you _ , Ishizu-san. I mean it.” 

Tears welled up in Ishizu’s eyes. “I remind you of someone, don’t I?” She asked so quietly that only Atem could make out the words. Atem’s hands trembled on hers.   
  
“I live in the present, not the past.”  _ She’s not Isis, just as Kaiba is not Seto.  _   
  
“ _ Okay _ ,” Malik growled impatiently, weaving around his sister to grab Atem under his arms and lift him back up. None of them missed the protectiveness of his actions. “Enough theatrics. You’re gonna kill her.” 

Ishizu was silent, turned to the side and covering her face. Rishid placed a hand on the small of her back and led her away, but Atem could tell he wasn’t mad. He was pleased that Atem did his best to convince her that she was Atem’s equal. Still, Atem could also tell their interaction was coming to a close, now that he’d effectively made Ishizu shut down indefinitely. Rishid was already leaving the shop with her. “Is that all…?”

“Yeah, pretty much…” Malik stuck a finger in his ear, giving the store a nice once-over before considering departing. His eyes landed on the Duel Monsters cards, all lined up on one shelf closest to the counter. Like a predator finding prey, he made grabby hands and approached them. “ _ Actually _ , how much do these babies cost?”

Atem raised an eyebrow, grinning. He walked over to the display as Malik frantically beckoned him with a wave. Malik swiped up a few packs, his eyes flicking back and forth as he read the text for details on what could be inside. “You still duel?”

“ _ Marik _ doesn’t, but  _ I  _ do! I’m not letting our deck go to waste.” Malik shoved one of the packs in Atem’s face. “Now  _ sell me _ some of these, I haven’t had a chance to get new cards in  _ forever. _ ”

“Alright, let me look at them...”

* * *

The rowdy family was gone just as suddenly as they arrived, carried away by the autumn winds and whisked back to the Domino museum for preparations. Malik left with a request from Atem to see Marik next time they met, and he was confident the boisterous man would be able to convince his host to come out. If not to speak to Atem, then to stop his alter from spending more ridiculous amounts of money on cards. Atem  _ could _ have stopped him, but he’s not anyone’s babysitter.

A few more customers strolled by since then, causing Atem to have to set down his broom and head back inside to serve them. All the leaves were cleared, he just wanted an excuse to stand outside and experience the weather. It wasn’t often that he felt cold, and this was slightly tolerable cold. He didn’t have high expectations for enduring winter, if fall already felt freezing. 

While swiping down the shelves that were full of dust, his sweater pocket buzzed and he heard a tiny chime. Elation filling his whole body at the noise, he threw down his rag and spray bottle and flipped open his phone. It was just as he thought. Navigating to his texts, the smile on his face was wide enough to split his head in half. He felt like a soda can that had been shaken too much and was seconds away from exploding.

**_Aibou:_ ** _ how’s work going? _ _  
_ _  
_ Fingers  _ shaking _ on the keys, Atem replied.   
  
**_Me:_ ** _ You will never believe who I ran into. Please call me when school lets out. _ _  
_ _  
_ __ **_Aibou:_ ** _ (づ￣ ³￣)づ that’s mean atem now i’m excited and can’t focus _ _  
_ _  
_ __ **_Me:_ ** _ I’m sure your mother wouldn’t take that as an excuse if you scored low again. _ _  
_ _  
_ __ **_Aibou:_ ** _ fiiiiine. see you later (~˘▾˘)~ _

__ **_Me:_ ** _ Goodbye,  _ aibou _. _

_  
_ _  
_ __ Stuffing his phone back in his pocket, it was pure luck that no one caught him. Sugoroku had some secret sixth sense to walk in whenever Atem was slacking off, and customers were like random events in video games. Except _ those _ are usually pleasant. Yuugi messaging him at least meant his shift was close to ending, he always switched out with Sugoroku a bit before school ended for the rest of his friends. Sugoroku knew how much he and Yuugi wanted to spend time together, so Atem basically only worked half shifts. If Yuugi happened to go somewhere on his own for the day, which was rare,  _ then _ he’d get a full shift.

Now that he was painfully aware of the passage of time, he was about ready to hit his head off the wall. Whenever you paid close attention to the clock, it _always_ went slower, like a sick game of torture. He’d waited _3,000_ _years_ in darkness all alone, he should be able to _handle this.  
__  
_ Atem buried his face in his arms, muffling his groan and also painfully pushing his glasses against his face. He tapped his foot rapidly on the ground, wanting to pace the store at a mile per minute but _also_ not wanting to be seen doing so. 

Like a caged wild animal, as soon as he heard footsteps on the tile behind him, he shot up. “Hey, Atem,” Sugoroku lazily stretched as he greeted him. “I’m relieving you a couple minutes early today-”

Atem was already rushing out of the door, stunning Sugoroku into silence. “ _ Thank you _ !”

“ Where are you going?!”  
  
The shop bell clanged deafeningly as he swung the door open. “I’m walking  _ aibou _ home from school!” He took off sprinting, not allowing Sugoroku to call him out on the fact that Atem  _ never _ did that. He was just far too excited and couldn’t keep still, he needed to get this energy out of him  _ somehow _ .

Truthfully however, that was only  _ part  _ of the reason.

* * *

Atem got to the school gates earlier than he anticipated at his excited speed, so he had to stand around and pretend to do something on his phone to avoid stares while he waited. He did his best to remain inconspicuous and average, but it was a  _ lot _ easier when he was hidden among his friend group. He  _ knew _ why he was so good at attracting attention,  _ everything _ about him made him stand out in a place like Japan, he certainly didn’t look like a natively born citizen. It made his skin crawl and fingers itch. 

The bad experience was all worth it, though, when he heard the final bell of the day five minutes later and knew his  _ aibou _ would appear soon. It was selfish of him to imagine Yuugi rushing home to see him, but he always barged into the shop breathless, ignoring anything else in favor of saying hi to Atem. So… it might not be  _ just _ his imagination.

Being separated like this now was hard on the both of them, but  _ especially  _ Atem. That connection with Yuugi was all he had known for a whole year, the memories of being a real, standalone person wiped away. It was everything he had, it was his norm. Sometimes, he would try to brush against Yuugi's mind when they were apart, and realize that he  _ couldn't _ anymore.  _ The one major downside to having a body again,  _ Atem thought as he watched students pour out onto the sidewalk. 

“Atem-kun?” A quiet voice asked, and Atem spotted the familiar white mop of hair that belonged to their friend Bakura. He opened his mouth to say hi, but after Bakura pointed him out, it started an avalanche of his other friends seeing him. Jonouchi looked like he was about to pull Atem into a bone-crushing hug, but thought better of it when he noticed Yuugi approaching fast. 

“ _ Mou hitori no boku! _ ” He gleefully used Atem’s nickname, and Atem smiled so hard that it showed teeth. He opened his arms and let Yuugi embrace him, savoring the contact for the few seconds it lasted before Yuugi pulled away, hands returning to the straps of his backpack. “What’re you doing here? How long have you been waiting?”

“Not long,” Atem assured him, sliding his phone into his pocket. “And I just wanted to see you.”

“Aww,” He heard Anzu coo among their tiny crowd, making Atem flush and shove his hands into his cardigan’s pockets. They were feeling chilly anyways. 

“Shuddup, Anzu-chan, you’re embarrassing them.” Jonouchi had his bag slung over his shoulder, and he stalked towards the two, giving Atem an intense quizzical stare. “Anyways, there’s  _ gotta _ be more to this than that. You never meet Yuugi-kun at the gates.” 

Atem shrugged, feigning ignorance, but in a really bad way so that it was obvious he was hiding a surprise. Good to build up suspense before revealing a gift, right? “Truly there isn’t.”

“Oh my  _ God _ , just tell us,” Otogi complained, leaning over Atem’s shoulder.

Atem’s smile was sickeningly fake. Jonouchi groaned and threw his head back. Honda crossed his arms, an eyebrow raised. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

Jonouchi looked like he was going to break out screaming, but then, “ _ Atem _ , I think we’re all sufficiently hyped up now. Show us?” Yuugi asked with a tip of his head, and  _ damn it _ Atem couldn’t say no to that.  
  
Pulling his hands out of their soft confines, he threw them out like he often did in duels. Instead of cards, however, they held ticket stubs between each finger, four in his left hand and three in his right. Jonouchi pointed a finger at them and silently counted while mouthing the numbers, then his expression exploded. 

“Tickets?! What’re they for? An amusement park? A  _ lottery _ ?”  
  
Otogi shot him a look. “Jonouchi-kun, lottery tickets don’t look like that.”

Jonouchi scratched his chin. “Petting zoo?” 

“All good guesses, but no.” Atem wiggled his fingers expectantly. Each friend snatched one piece of paper, Jonouchi holding his far too close to his face to actually be reading it. “The museum is having an Egypt exhibit.”

“And… you want to go?” Anzu asked, a bit surprised.

Atem nodded. “These were a gift to me, so it would be rude not to.” 

Jonouchi’s eyes narrowed. “Wait- Who’d you get ‘em from?” He pointed the ticket at Atem accusingly. “Did you tell someone else about your past? Atem-kun, that’s  _ super _ dangerous-”

“The Ishtar family stopped by.” 

A chorus of  _ whaaat _ echoed around the group. 

“Those Egyptians from Battle City?” Otogi asked.

“One of them put Jonouchi-kun and Mai-chan in comas, remember?” Honda whispered to Otogi, likely so that Jonouchi wouldn’t overhear and remember the experience. 

Otogi shuddered and swatted him away. “Don’t remind me. That was freaky.”  
  
“The Ishtars are very kind people,” Yuugi was looking at his ticket, but side-eyed Honda and Otogi fiercely. They gulped and pretended like they hadn’t just been bad mouthing a whole family.

Jonouchi was braver, and gave Yuugi a look as if he’d lost his mind, which made Atem chuckle.  _ None _ of them had good memories of Marik and Malik, but  _ all  _ of them had allowed him the chance to make it up to them, Yuugi being the first. He was such a forgiving soul.  _ Do they know about Marik’s alter yet, I wonder... _

Yuugi leveled a serious look at Jonouchi next. “ _ I mean it _ ,” he said with a firmness that made Jonouchi pull back in surprise. “Did they tell you what the exhibit is about?” He was back to his cheery tone in seconds.

“Well…” Atem paused. Bakura was standing a noticeable distance away from everyone else, his head focused on the ground. Atem  _ also _ still had two tickets left instead of one. He frowned. “Hold that thought.” He pushed past Jonouchi and Otogi, putting the tickets away so it wouldn’t look like he was about to pressure Bakura into attending.

Bakura’s head rose slightly when Atem stood in front of him. “I’m sorry, Atem-kun,” He said without Atem even needing to ask anything. “I don’t think I can go with you.” One of his hands was clutching at his chest, wrinkling the buttoned uniform jacket there, and Atem understood far too well. 

“Bakura-kun,” he said softly, so no one else would hear. “If you miss him…” Bakura’s eyes were vulnerable as Atem spoke the truth, tears threatening to spill. “That’s okay. He was bad to you, but he was still a part of your very  _ soul _ . It hasn’t been easy on  _ aibou _ and I either.” 

“He wasn’t bad,” Bakura whispered, voice shaking. “He was just misunderstood. All he wanted to do was protect me.” 

Instead of protesting like Bakura had braced himself for, Atem dipped his head. “I trust your judgement. You knew him well.” He grabbed the hand threatening to rip through fabric, lowering it to Bakura’s side. “I... will watch and pray for any sign of him. If  _ I _ can come back, then…” 

Bakura shook his head sadly, wiping away hot tears that were finally falling. His pained smile reminded Atem far too much of the way Yuugi once looked at him, the day he considered walking through those doors into oblivion. “He was too far gone.”

Atem shook his head furiously, fists clenching. “I will do everything in my power. He, out of all of us, deserved a happy ending the most. What my family  _ did _ to him...” He grit his teeth, tasting blood.

“Atem-kun…”

Atem steadied himself. “You don’t have to see the exhibit with us. I understand.” He turned, seeing the group now chatting nervously as a way to fill the silence he left behind by leaving so suddenly. They shot occasional glances at him and Bakura, but didn’t eavesdrop. “Please, take care of yourself. You’ve suffered for far too long.” 

“...Thank you.”

Atem let him walk away on his own, confident that time to himself is what he needed. He was grieving, and even if none of them could truly understand how he felt, Atem knew enough to respect it. After all, if he’d chosen to move on, Yuugi would have been left in the same situation. Maybe he would have bonded closely with Bakura because of it.  _ But that’s not how things turned out _ , he reminded himself.  _ Bakura feels all alone in the world. _

__ Steps feeling like his boots were filled with lead, he returned to his friends. Yuugi slid close to him, sensing his distress.

__ “...Do you wanna finish what you were saying?” Yuugi reminded him and placed a hand on his arm.

“Right, yes.” All eyes were back on him, expectant. He did a double-take on Bakura before continuing. The boy was further away now, and didn’t intend on stopping to say goodbye.  _ Good, he doesn’t need to hear this _ .“It’s… an exhibit about me.”

“About  _ you _ ?” Anzu asked first. “What does that mean?”

“ _ Specifically _ it’s the Nameless Pharaoh. I don’t know much beyond that.” He fidgeted with his cartouche, feeling anxious. Yuugi rubbed his arm through his cardigan. “It’s a little embarrassing.” 

There was a loud scoff. “In  _ my _ opinion, it’s cool as hell!” Jonouchi shot him a thumbs-up. “Now everyone’s gonna remember you, even if they  _ do _ think you’re long dead.” They all knew how important being remembered was to Atem and his people.

“Atem…” The hand on his arm clenched. “You’re becoming part of history.” Yuugi said it with such awe and compassion, it made Atem feel like he was breaking apart. Yuugi’s touch held him together.

“...Now I’ll never forget my name again, right?” He tried to make a joke, but his heart was beating so fast he could hardly hear himself. He did hear the sighs of exasperation from his friends, plus a few lighthearted chuckles. Yuugi tugged on his sleeve, but they couldn’t break away right now, so he shook his head. It would have to wait.   
  


* * *

“They couldn’t have notified you sooner? Sunday is in two days, that’s  _ very _ short notice.” Yui scolded them over dinner. Atem was keeping his head low, fully intent on just letting her ramble until her frustration was all gone. Sugoroku sipped a beer next to him like it was the most entertaining show ever, and Atem supposed it  _ was _ . A mighty Pharaoh bowing to the wrath of a mother.

Yuugi’s leg bumped against his under the table. “Atem couldn’t control when they decided to show up, Mama.” He pleaded with her.

She raised a disapproving eyebrow, chopsticks hovering over her plate. “Perhaps not, but he  _ can _ control whether or not he goes.” 

“Mama…!” 

“I’ll work longer shifts,” Atem blurted out, surprising everyone at the table. His food was virtually untouched, his stomach turning too much for him to feel safe eating. “And I’ll... help make dinner? If you’ll allow me.” 

“Are you any good at cooking?” Yui asked sceptically. Atem hunched over in his seat.

“...If 3,000 year old Egyptian cuisine is what you’re looking for, I know some things,” He said in a murmur.

“Don’t mumble.” She ordered.   
  
“Y-Yes, Ma’am,” Atem wheezed.   
  
Yui then eyed Atem’s food. In fear of looking rude, he started shovelling rice into his mouth, already feeling sickness rising as soon as it touched his tongue. Satisfied, Yui relented on the two of them, signaled by her posture changing. “I’ll think about it. You boys can go-” He and Yuugi let out a breath “- _ but, _ Yuugi has to promise me something, too.”

“Yes, Mama?” Yuugi responded earnestly.

“I expect your grades to jump up to B’s, preferably A’s.” 

“M-Mama…!” 

Atem silenced him with a harsh glance. “ _ Aibou _ , just agree... you know you can’t fight her about it,” He whispered through a mouthful of rice that he was having trouble swallowing. Yuugi deflated, hanging his head over his plate.

“...Okay, Mama.” He sighed. 

“Good.” Yui smiled and dabbed a napkin on her mouth, emerging from this battle as the winner. “Now, after dinner, I want Yuugi to do his homework. No games until it’s finished.”   
  
“Yes, Mama.” They both echoed. Atem only realized what he said when Yui gave him a strange look, and he scrambled to salvage it with weak and frantic explanations. Sugoroku laughed at his expense, and Yuugi rested his chin on his hand, a sympathetic smile lighting up his features.   
  


* * *

“ _ Mou hitori no boku _ ,” Yuugi placed a hand on Atem’s, stopping him from fussing any longer with his shirt and scarf. The bus rocked beneath them, making their knees bump together. Was it hot in here, or was Atem just overdressed? “Relax. You look great.”

“As do you,” Atem returned the complement instinctually. “But you cannot blame me for feeling nervous.” He was attending an exhibit on  _ himself. _

"Of course not," Yuugi said kindly. "So I'm  _ telling _ you everything is fine. You don't have to be scared." 

There was a pause as Atem looked for something else to fixate on. "I look silly," He pouted. He had a big black star-patterned sweater on to fend off the cold all evening, and his cartouche was just barely visible peeking out from under his borrowed burgundy scarf.

Yuugi gasped, giving him a shove. "You do  _ not."  _ His honest praise made Atem chuckle self-consciously, sliding his scarf up to conceal his mouth and nose to cover his blush. "What's with you and self depreciation? Weren't you a proud Pharaoh?"

"You humbled me,  _ aibou. _ " Atem teased. 

Yuugi nudged him once more. "And  _ you _ gave me a backbone. Fair trade?" 

"I would think so." 

The vehicle began to crawl to a stop, and Yuugi looked out the window. "Oh, we're here." Outside, Atem saw the museum lit up and decorated with advertising banners, boasting about being the first to display the Nameless Pharaoh’s name and history. Yuugi stood up with a long stretch, narrowly avoiding hitting him in the head. "Man, that trip was like fifteen minutes longer than usual…"

Atem got up too, so he could let Yuugi out of the seat into the aisle. "I guess I attract quite a crowd?" 

"Where's that  _ humbleness _ you mentioned earlier?" Yuugi flicked one of his silver earrings. 

"You're blocking the flow of traffic,  _ aibou _ ," Atem deflected and walked out of the bus, trailed by Yuugi. A lot more people emptied out after them, which could only mean that they too were attending the event. His breath was coming out as white puffs, which greatly fascinated him, so he purposely exhaled harder. It reminded him of a dragon.

"Having fun?" Yuugi observed him blowing mist as he typed into his phone, probably looking to see where the others were currently. 

"Remarkable," Atem breathed. "My breath is so much warmer than the air that it's creating fog instantly." 

Atem couldn't see it, too distracted by something that would be completely normal to the average person, but Yuugi was transfixed by him. Watching the wonder in Atem's eyes, his genuine joy and curiosity. Yuugi had it  _ bad _ , and Atem was horribly oblivious. 

"Ah," Yuugi shook himself out of his stupor. "Jonouchi-kun is on his way with Honda-kun and Otogi-kun, but Anzu-chan is already inside." He flipped his phone shut, his Kuriboh keychain swaying to and fro. "Wanna go in?"

Atem paused, surrounded by fading white. He clearly got carried away. "Sure."

It was a challenge to push through the crowds of people, but he thanked the Ishtar's foresight to give them all VIP tickets, so they didn't have to wait in the line that was snaking out of the museum lot onto the street. His cold resistance was still awful, he would have  _ froze _ to death if he stood outside that long.

The bright lights inside were a contrast to the darkening sky, making Atem blink a few times when he entered. Dozens of people were already milling about inside, checking out glass cases with items Atem vaguely recognized over the sea of moving bodies. If he recognized them from his previous trip here, or from his returned memories, he couldn’t decipher. "How are we supposed to find Anzu-chan in this…?"

"She said she'd be waiting in front of that stone tablet. The one with you and the Kaiba-looking guy on it." 

Atem  _ had _ to bark out a laugh. "You mean Priest Seto?" 

Yuugi pouted at him. "I was trapped outside the palace the whole time I was in your memories! I saw him like, once." He stood on his tip-toes, and swiveled his head around until he spotted something that he was  _ kind of _ sure was the tablet. "Grab my hand so we don't get separated, this is going to be rough." 

Feeling himself start to sweat, he joined their hands together so Yuugi could tug him through all the people. It was hard, he got bumped into a lot with varying rude and polite responses, and both of them being far below average height didn't make it easier. His fingers clenched Yuugi's in a death grip, but his partner couldn't look back to speak and reassure him. They just had to keep going.

Bursting out into the open with gasps of relief, Yuugi pulled him close protectively. Atem was uncharacteristically trembling, the experience being far more stressful than he thought it would be. Yuugi knew something was wrong, and Atem hated it. "Anzu-chan should be around here. Once we find her we can go sit down, okay?" 

Atem nodded mutely, and Yuugi wrapped an arm around him to move him along. People still crossed their path, but it was more easily manageable. Yuugi squinted hard, "I think… yes! There she is!" Yuugi spotted her right where she said she'd be, and it looked like  _ she _ spotted them first. It must be the hair. Or the fact that they were walking around in a semi-hug.

Marching up to them with unconcealed intensity, she rescued them and led them to a less crowded display, which luckily was situated not too far away from a bench. Yuugi made a beeline for it, dragging Atem along who, at this point, wasn't even aware of the world around him. All he felt was Yuugi, and all he saw was Yuugi. His eyes were wet with the threat of tears.

"It's okay,  _ mou hitori no boku _ ," Yuugi soothed, helping him sit down and pressing close. Anzu joined them, worry clouding her gaze. 

The voices all around them from so many mouths was overwhelming, so Atem covered his ears with his hands, squeezing his eyes shut. He didn't do well with loud noises, sure, they all knew that... but this was a new level. It was unbearable. He was crying, and now kohl was dripping down his face. Yuugi slid his glasses off, and Anzu handed over a tissue from her purse so Yuugi could wipe the black tears away before they stained Atem's clothing.

"It's too loud for him," Anzu observed, her heart squeezing. "What should we do?"

"I would suggest leaving, but… I know he doesn't want to." Yuugi wrapped an arm around his shoulders to comfort him. He  _ hated _ seeing Atem like this, but they couldn’t dare to be any more affectionate than this in public.

A piece of paper crinkled. "The crowd will be clearing out soon," Anzu showed Yuugi a pamphlet of the exhibit, pointing to the first section. "The Ishtars are giving a verbal presentation before tours of the exhibit start. The rest of the night is just for exploring." 

Yuugi unhappily sucked on his teeth. "We'll just have to wait it out, then." Fifteen minutes was a bit long to  _ wait out _ , but what else could they do? Atem would be so upset if it was his fault that their night got cut short, even if none of them would be mad about it. “Anzu-chan.”

“Huh?”

“Go find Jonouchi-kun and the rest, and attend the presentation. I’ll stay with Atem.”

“But-!”

“If Atem-kun finds out you all missed something because of him, he’ll just feel worse. Trust me.” He rubbed Atem’s shaking shoulder, wanting to cry himself. Curse his extreme empathy. “Go have fun, okay? We’ll be back once he’s feeling better.” 

“If… If you’re sure, Yuugi-kun.” Anzu’s cute phone charms clacked together as she typed in Jonouchi’s number, so they could coordinate meeting up somewhere. “I’ll believe in you.” 

Yuugi gave her a soft smile. “Thanks, Anzu-chan.”   
  


* * *

Twenty five minutes later, an extra ten after all the noise finally moved to a different area, Atem felt… well enough to speak again. Not  _ good _ , but not sobbing and shivering, completely incapacitated. He and Yuugi were still sitting by the stone tablet, so he grabbed his glasses off the bench and slid them back on. His eyes were stinging from irritation caused by crying, and he could feel kohl staining his cheeks and parts of his neck, but couldn’t bring himself to care. 

He found himself staring at the depiction of him and Seto in a duel. His name was still missing, but he assumed it must now be added to the small plaque below, which held a translation of the ancient symbols on it.

“Did you like him?” 

Atem turned his head slowly to his partner at the question, feeling drained. Was Yuugi trying to distract him? “He was my cousin. I tolerated him.” He stood up with great effort and approached the case containing the ancient artifact, one he’d never gotten to see in life. It came after his time had ended. “But… he was a good man. He carried out my wishes, knowing they would damn me to darkness. He carried that burden his whole life.” He gently placed his hand on the glass, trying not to leave any fingerprint smudges. He longed to touch it.

“He sounds a lot more respectable than Kaiba-kun,” Yuugi was next to him, now.

“I only wish I could have apologized to him.” Atem tried to rub away some of his smeared kohl with little success, as if the stone Seto could see him and would judge him for it. “The beliefs my people held about the afterlife were very strong. He died thinking it was his fault that I was unable to move on.” 

“I think you’re underestimating him, Atem.” Yuugi studied the worn-out face of the priest, it hardly looked like Kaiba but somehow he still  _ knew _ . He himself was a reincarnation of Atem in a way, right? Was that why? ”Going off of what I know about Kaiba-kun, I don’t think he felt bad about it. He knew it was the right thing to do, the _ only _ thing to do, in the end. Plus, you requested it.” 

Atem turned his head to give Yuugi a watery smile. “You think so?” 

Yuugi’s heart snapped. He placed a hand on Atem’s cheek, wiping away the fresh tears that were falling and worsening the messy kohl. “... _ Mou hitori no boku _ , why didn’t you move on? You miss your family so much. I can tell.”

“I won’t deny that I miss them,” Atem removed his hand from the display and moved closer to Yuugi instead. “But I did not know their names nor faces for 3,000 years, not even as a fleeting thought did I think of them. I haven’t had time to grieve for something I’ve barely lost.” He closed his eyes, stray tears still falling around his smile. “I believe they would not mind waiting a few decades more for me, if it meant I was happy.” 

“Happy…?” Yuugi echoed.  
  
“If I left you, knowing it would break your heart, I would not be resting peacefully.” Atem saw Yuugi stiffen up, so he continued. “ _ You _ did not force me to stay. I  _ wanted _ to be with you,  _ Yuugi _ .” They were staring deep into each other's eyes, something Atem couldn’t recall them doing in a very long time. “And when we  _ hopefully _ die of old age, we’ll move on  _ together. _ ” 

“Wait- am- am I going to  _ your _ afterlife?” Yuugi laughed out the words, his emotions a mix of elation and wanting to break down sobbing. 

“I’m quite certain all of the reincarnations we know will go there, yes.” 

“So… our friends won’t follow us?”

Atem pinched Yuugi’s cheek, making him squirm. He refused to watch Yuugi cry over something that wasn’t certain, or even close to happening. “I was a Pharaoh, _ aibou _ , the living embodiment of the sun and the stars. I think I could figure something out.” 

The moment they were having earlier now effectively snuffed out, they separated, and Atem pulled his scarf up. He was  _ burning _ , and Yuugi wasn’t faring much better. He had his hands behind him, rocking back and forth on his feet.

“Wanna… check out the rest of the exhibit while we wait?” 

“Why not?” 

* * *

Sweater draped over his shoulder to avoid getting it wet, Atem splashed water from the bathroom sink onto his face. Black dripped down into the drain, and he knew there was no way to fix his makeup at this point, so he just grabbed a paper towel from the dispenser and started rubbing it all off. Starting  _ as soon as he got home _ , he was going to carry kohl  _ somewhere _ on his person. It was fine if Yuugi saw him without it, but he felt weirdly naked under the eyes of his friends and strangers.   
“Hey,” Someone leaning against the doorway to the bathroom startled him, making him turn with only one very reddened eye cleaned off. Blonde hair, baggy pants, and a very revealing crop top? Yeah, Atem recognized them immediately.

“Marik-kun?” He asked, still unsure if it was him or Malik fronting. From the way he carried himself, Atem would have to guess Marik, but he couldn’t be sure. 

“Yeah. What’s up?” Marik rose out of his slouch and observed Atem’s situation. They were both looking in the large mirror, Atem frowning and Marik trying not to laugh. Atem’s eye twitched in pain and protest as he scrubbed it. “Do you have anything to fix it?”

“No,” Atem sighed. “I didn’t consider the possibility of this happening.” 

“You’re in luck, then.” Marik held out a small, glitter-coated purple box. He clicked it open, and inside was an array of products. Foundation, eyeshadow, blush, even lipstick, but Atem’s eyes locked directly onto the kohl like a man dying of thirst. “It’s kind of unsanitary, but I don’t mind. Do you?” 

“I mind other people seeing me without it more. Hand it over.” Marik dropped the case into Atem’s hands, and he was made hyper-aware of his height as he had to stand on his tip-toes over the sink to get close enough to the mirror to apply it correctly. “I didn’t know you wore so much makeup,” he drawled out slowly, concentrating.

“Not usually, but sometimes I experiment. Malik likes it more than me.”

“Ah, I should have guessed...”  
  
Marik leaned over his shoulder. “You’re pretty good at this, did servants not do it for you?” 

Atem hummed out a  _ no  _ sound, unable to shake his head as he carefully did a wing. “I don’t like other people touching me. I did many things on my own.” 

“Hmm,” Marik tapped his fingers on the marble. “Do you want to try out what I do?” 

“What do you mean?” Atem finally moved away from the mirror and blinked a few times.

Marik snatched the pencil from his hands. “Permission to hold your face still?” 

Atem, mildly uncomfortable with the idea of being touched but  _ wildly _ curious about what Marik wanted to do, nodded. “Granted. Just don’t smudge anything.” 

Marik stuck his tongue out as he worked, a hand delicately cupping Atem’s cheek. His skin was surprisingly smooth for someone that lived underground in a tomb their whole life. Atem tried to side-eye the mirror to get a look at what Marik was doing, but he couldn’t see well enough. Marik was making quick work of it, though, confident and fast strokes on the dark skin of Atem’s face. It was as if no time had passed at all when the other man finished.

“Done,” Marik held the pencil up with a twirl. “Take a look. It  _ does _ suit you.” 

Atem’s mouth dropped open, fingers hovering over the brand new additional swoops under his eyes connecting to the wings he’d made. They were identical to Marik’s. _Similar to_ _Mana and Mahado, too,_ Atem realized with a pang. Stubbornly, he stared up at the ceiling, willing his tears to sink back into his eyeballs. He could _not_ cry, not after all that!

“What… are you doing?”  
  
“I need to cry, but I absolutely refuse to,” Atem sniffed, the fluorescent bulbs above them making his eyes hurt more. Marik laughed, and Atem heard him click his box shut and shuffle it away again. 

“Did I really do that good of a job…?” He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.

“Yes, you did wonderful,” Atem replied. “But it also just… reminded me of some people I cared about. Before.”  
  
Marik’s eyes softened. He went to place a hand on Atem’s shoulder, but then thought better of it. He gripped his own upper arm instead, looking awkward and scared. “You’re… a tough guy, Atem. I hated you for a long time, but now I can’t even imagine it.” 

Atem lowered his head, met Marik’s eyes that refused to meet his own. “You are too. My very existence brought you unimaginable pain-” Marik flinched at that, his back flaring up with wounds long left in the past, “-and though I know it is not my fault, I am still sorry.” 

Marik was quiet, staring at the ground with his hair casting a shadow over his eyes. “I need… to go now. But thank you.” 

“Of course.”

Marik didn’t move to leave the room, though. Atem reached for him in concern, pulling his glasses off of his head and back onto his face. “Marik-kun…?”

Marik’s eyes lifted and, oh, that was definitely  _ Malik _ staring back at him. Did he upset Marik so badly that he caused him to have to retreat…? “Thanks, Pharaoh. He appreciated the apology,” Malik sniffed out and eased his guilt. “He’s still working on dealing with the memory of  _ all that _ , not your fault. You didn’t know.” 

“Will he be alright?” Atem was absent-mindedly laying his fingers on the makeup Marik had applied. 

Malik gave a casual shrug, placing his hands on his hips. “Yeah, he just needs to take a step back and rest. You might wanna hurry out of here though, I think your friends are waiting outside.” He pointed a thumb at the door.

Atem’s face fell. He’d completely forgotten.

* * *

Atem tried not to feel too ashamed of himself as he said farewell to the Ishtar family. Yuugi had already explained what happened to them, and considering how kind and understanding they were to Atem when he said hello, they didn’t mind. He must have given away his feelings by staring too harshly at his shoes, because there was a hand on his shoulder, and it could only be the hand of one person.

“Hey, don’t feel bad, man!” Jonouchi told him cheerily, waving his cracked phone around far too close to Atem's glasses. “We all recorded the presentation so you can watch it later, if you wanna.”

“Oh…” Atem blinked. “Thank you.”

“You’d do the same for us.” Honda shoved his hands in his pockets, already shivering as they got closer to the door. The air outside was filtering in through the cracks, leaving a chill around it. “Hope you still had fun, though.”

“I did, thanks to  _ aibou _ .” Atem lowered his voice and praised his partner in a volume only Yuugi would hear thanks to their close proximity. He flushed, which Atem considered a job well done.

“Aha…” Yuugi was staring at the wall instead of Atem. “Um, Marik-kun did a really nice job with your eyeliner.”

Atem smirked. “You like it? I was going to learn how to do it myself…” 

“G-Great idea! It… suits you?” Yuugi stammered, his gait stiff and unnatural. 

Atem laughed, rich and deep. “Are you asking me?”

Yuugi ran a hand through his hair, mussing up the gel and allowing it to fall looser. “Ah, no...”

“Atem-kun?” A new voice interrupted them, saving Yuugi from making a fool of himself. He breathed a silent sigh of relief that Atem didn’t catch. 

“Hm?” Atem stilled and adjusted his glasses. “Anzu-chan? Is something wrong?”

She played with a piece of hair between her fingers, looking small and meek. It was strange, she was a strong girl, but now she looked like a kicked puppy. “I wanted to talk to you… alone. If that’s okay.” 

Atem looked to his partner, who was now inexplicably crestfallen. He shook it off when Atem caught his eye, though, putting on a smile they both knew was fake. Atem couldn’t understand why the mood changed so drastically, it was freaking him out. Why were they  _ both _ acting so out of character?

“I’ll catch the bus back by myself, it’s okay.” Yuugi shot Atem a thumbs-up instead of their usual parting gesture of a hug. It… actually hurt, a little bit. “See you at home, Atem.” 

“...You too.” Atem said with a hard frown, chest tight. Arms encircled his own, and he saw Anzu clinging to him with a twinkle in her eyes and a renewed vigor in her smile. Confused and a bit off-put by her switch, Atem felt himself start to sweat anxiously.  _ I should have gone home with  _ aibou _. _

“Let’s go to the park nearby, Atem-kun.” She fluttered her eyelashes, pulling him along out of the museum and into the night. Anxiety bubbling in his gut, only intensified by the cold, he flipped and turned his cartouche in his hand. As Anzu giggled and pointed out stars appearing in the sky, something in his heart lurched out of place. No matter how much time passed as they strolled down the sidewalk hand-in-hand, the intrusion remained, a suffocating pressure on his chest.

Atem watched two small squirrels in a tree nearby, weaving around one another and jumping from branch to branch. They must be friends… oh  _ God _ , he was watching  _ squirrels _ instead of paying attention to Anzu, who had so nicely requested to speak with him alone.  _ It's not like I want to be here…  _ he kicked a pebble at his feet like an angry child. Yuugi was missing him, and Anzu was acting weird, and his  _ chest hurt- _

“Mmm, my legs are sore from all the walking we did today,” Anzu ripped through his thoughts. She put a finger to her lip, then pointed to a bench using both her and Atem’s hand that were locked together. “Let’s rest there?” 

“Sure…” Atem clenched the cartouche pendant so hard it was painful. The metal bench was cold when they sat down, making Anzu give an exaggerated  _ brrr.  _

“Cold!” She complained, pressing against Atem’s side. He didn’t like that… but if she needed some warmth, it surely couldn’t be helped. His body heat was plentiful and he would always make sure his friends were comfortable. He would be  _ kind _ to Anzu and not take out his frustration and fatigue on her, she had done nothing to earn his ire. He was just being a baby.  
  
Wrapping an arm around her while gritting his teeth, he asked, “Is that better?”

Her face reddened, and she nodded enthusiastically. “Y-Yes, thank you, Atem-kun…”

Their breaths billowed around them and mixed together, floating off into the sky. The street lamp illuminating the area flickered occasionally, and Atem distantly wondered if the bulb would go out. Leaves blown by the wind skittered past their feet. Anzu was shaking against his side.

“Anzu-chan?”

She lifted her head, meeting his worried eyes. He didn’t get the chance to ask if she was okay. “I have something important to tell you, so don’t speak, okay?” Resting her hands on his chest, she got so close that it looked like she was going to…  _ oh, please don’t,  _ Atem begged inside his head. 

Something in his eyes gave away his thoughts, and she shoved herself back. “I-I’m sorry, I got carried away.” All at once her heated contact disappeared as she flung herself to the very edge of the bench, her hands coming together in her lap. “I’m just- going to get it over with.” Taking a deep breath and releasing it as white fog, she raised her head to look at the sky. “Atem, I’ve liked you for a very long time.”  
  
Brain fried and appearance frazzled, Atem moved some of his fringe behind his ear. “...I like you too, Anzu-chan. You’re a good friend.” He was completely clueless, and Anzu choked back a sob that was trying its best to tear out from her chest. She faced him, and he startled at the wetness in her eyes and her wobbling lips.  _ Please, kill me now. _

“No- you don’t  _ understand _ . Atem, I  _ love _ you.” She pressed a gloved hand to her chest. “Ever since I first heard your voice, I’ve loved you.” 

Atem, speechless, let his head drop. He couldn't fake it anymore. Anzu took this as defeat and finally broke down, burying her face in her palms. Atem couldn’t bring himself to comfort her, his world was spinning and he wanted to run away… but that would be unfair to her. She confessed so bravely, after such a long time of waiting. He would respect it.

“You don’t feel the same, right?” She whispered, the sorrow in her words palpable. “I- I think, deep down, I already knew… that’s why it took me so long to tell you.” 

He grabbed her wrists, moving them out of the way so he could pull her into a hug. His body and brain screamed at him to stop. He felt her hot tears against the fabric of his sweater. “It’s nothing against you, I  _ promise _ .” 

“...Then what is it?” 

“I, erm,” Atem couldn’t find the right words, and the hesitation was upsetting her more, damn it. “I only like… men?” He forced out a laugh, hoping Anzu would also find it humorous, but she just unstuck herself from him with the most resigned anger he’d ever seen.

“I  _ knew _ it! Argh!” She threw her hands up, waving them animatedly. He was glad that her fury was not towards him. “Everything about you  _ screams _ gay.” 

“D-Does it?” Atem reached for his earrings with nails painted black and red by Yuugi the night prior.

Anzu stared at him flatly. “...You’re hopeless.” She fell back against the bench, her whole body deflating. She threw an arm over her face. “At least I finally told you, now it won’t haunt me at night.” 

“Anzu-chan, I’m sorry…”  
  
Anzu slapped his shoulder. “Don’t apologize, you can’t control who you like.” She lifted her arm to expose an eye with a lifted brow. “... _ Do _ you like anyone right now? I’m curious.” 

“I… I suppose it’s only fair, since you confessed to me.” Now it was Atem’s turn to twirl his blonde bangs between his fingers. “Yes, I do.”

“Describe them for me.”

Atem’s face heated exponentially, and he pulled up his scarf. That made it worse, because it smelled of nothing but  _ Yuugi _ , it  _ was _ his after all. Taking a greedy inhale like it would make him braver, he spoke. “He has the kindest soul I’ve ever encountered… there’s not an ounce of malice in his heart.” He struggled to find words for his feelings, never having voiced them out loud until now. Due to that however, once he started, he  _ couldn't stop _ . “He’s a light in the darkness, a drink of water after a voyage through the desert, a gentle kiss on a scraped knee. He is everything good in this world.” He sank down, feeling heavy with emotion. “He is  _ life _ .” 

Anzu leaned her face on her hand, smiling as she listened. She couldn’t help herself, seeing Atem so in love and joyful made  _ her  _ happy, too. Not even she felt that deeply for Atem, the love he had for this mystery person could probably fill oceans. Maybe flood the whole planet, Noah's Ark style. “That’s so wonderful, Atem-kun…”

“He is…” He smiled, his heart fluttering. The object lodged inside of it disappeared without a trace, Yuugi had tore it out and set it aside so Atem could relax.

“Hey…” Anzu tugged on his sleeve, catching his attention. “It’s Yuugi-kun, isn’t it?”

The sound of shattering glass echoed in Atem’s mind and ears. “H-How…?” 

“You look at him so fondly, like he hangs the sun and the stars.”  _ I look at him the way she once looked at me. _

Atem rested a hand over his pounding heart. “...For me, he did.  _ Does _ . I would not be here without him. He freed me, then shared his heart, mind, and body. I can never repay it all.” 

Anzu hopped up to her feet, holding out a hand for Atem. He took it and was lifted off of his seat. “He wouldn’t want you to, Atem-kun.” She sniffled, but not for herself. She thought of Yuugi, the bullied and lonely boy she’d known for years, learning to smile and laugh with a spirit invisible to the world. How many tender, sweet moments did they share that no one saw? “Meeting you was the best thing that ever happened to him.” 

Atem squeezed her palm, his eyes scared and vulnerable. “Please… don’t tell him.” 

“I won’t, but keeping quiet is just hurting both of you. Think about telling him. For me.” She released his hand. “More than anything, I want to see you and Yuugi-kun happy.” 

“You really are a good friend, Anzu-chan.” 

“I know, I know. Let’s go catch the last bus. Yuugi-kun’s waiting for you.” 

If they looked like a couple to any passerby, Atem didn’t care. An unspoken rift between him and Anzu was finally mended, and now they were closer than ever before. 

**Author's Note:**

> some notes:
> 
> \- atem only wears silver jewelry because he gave up his pharaoh status to be among the living  
> \- atem is intended to be autistic! his breakdown is caused by sensory overload  
> \- atem is near-sighted  
> \- atem is gay, but yuugi is bi with a preference for men  
> \- i do not actually have DID myself so i don't know how well i wrote marik and malik. if anyone with DID is reading, please let me know if i conveyed anything badly!! i want good DID rep for them
> 
> edit: adding my twitter to all my fics so you can follow me [here](https://twitter.com/chaosblast_)  
> edit 12/30/20: just going through this series and making sure things are consistent! also fixing some mistakes i noticed long after posting.


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